The ongoing trade war between the United States and Canada has been suspended—at least for now, until April 2—but one issue may be flying under the radar: how proposed U.S. tariffs on Canadian newsprint could affect the journalism industry on both sides of the border.
Canada is a major supplier of newsprint to the United States, and the tariffs could have a significant impact on businesses on both sides of the border, particularly on Canadian printers and American publishers.
“A large portion of the newsprint in our country comes from Canada, and for obvious reasons, tariffs are going to impact business,” said Lisa McGraw, the director of the American National Newspaper Association.
For publishers like John Galer of Journal News, who owns eight community weekly newspapers in Hillsboro, Illinois, and sources his newsprint from Kapuskasing, Ont., the tariffs will hit hard.
Galer estimates that the new tariffs will add significant costs to his operation. “It’s gonna impact us; it will be about 25 to 30 thousand dollars in increased costs,” he said.
Galer said he’s already begun looking into U.S. alternatives, but options are limited. “There’s only two American mills making newsprint,” Galer said.
His bigger concern is what the tariffs could mean for smaller communities’ access to local news. If costs rise too high, Galer may be forced to shut down operations in some towns.
“Over the last 20 years or more, you’ve seen—a lot of the businesses in those communities who support the paper—aren’t there,” Galer explained.
Reduced demand from the U.S. would also hit Canadian mills and printers hard, leaving them with fewer customers and limited options for recourse. As the trade dispute drags on, the ripple effects will be felt throughout the entire industry, with both American newspapers and Canadian suppliers struggling to adapt.